“I am very grateful to my country. I was born and grew up in a part of the world where life is supposed to be hard for most people, but harder for women.” — Hayet Laouni, a business owner in Tunisia and member of the country’s Senate
Having spent the last few weeks reading Half the Sky, by Nicholas Kristof and Sherlyn WuDunn, I am newly passionate and educated about women’s rights around the world. And happy to report that Tunisia — a country that would seem to have two strikes against it, being Muslim and in Africa — does pretty well on the subject.
While certainly not a perfect country, Tunisia is doing better than most on the continent in many areas.
The "Star Wars Hotel"
Some interesting facts about Tunisia:
1. The Sidi Driss Hotel in Matmata, Tunisia, has been nicknamed the Star Wars Hotel. The hotel’s underground rooms were used as Luke Skywalker’s home on the desert planet of Tatooine.
2. Almost 10.5 million people live in Tunisia, which borders the Mediterranean Sea, is the northernmost country in Africa, and is slightly larger than Georgia.
3. 98 percent of Tunisians are Arab and Muslim (Islam is the official state religion, and the president is required to be Muslim).
4. Arabic is the country’s official language, with French being an important secondary language (Tunisia gained its independence from France in 1956).
5. The country’s first president, Habib Bouguiba, led the country for three decades, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and creating a legacy of rights for women unheard of in the Arab world.
6. 7.4 percent of Tunisians live below the poverty line.
7. 74.3 percent of the population is literate (83.4 percent of males, 65.3 percent of females). Free, mandatory education such as that found in Tunisia is rare in Africa.
8. Tunisian Oussama Mellouli won the gold medal in the 1500-meter, freestyle swim in the 2008 Olympics.
9. The Economist listed Tunisia as one of 10 “economically most free” African economies in 2008.
10. Less than 1 percent of Tunisians have HIV/AIDS.
Orphans at an SOS Children's Village project in Tunisia
How you can help:
• For $30 a month, you can sponsor an orphan in one of SOS Children’s Villages three projects in Tunisia.
• Amnesty International also works in Tunisia, on prisoner rights, free speech, and gay rights.
Dawn,
National Geographic was my favorite periodical, way back in the sixties in elementary school. Your blog fills that place in my soul which longs to connect with others who live in a culture I can barely begin to comprehend. Thanks!
—Sherry